The present disclosure broadly relates to the art of spring devices and, more particularly, to internal misalignment mounts dimensioned for operative connection to an end member of a gas spring assembly, as well as a gas spring assemblies including one or more of such internal misalignment mounts and suspension systems that include one or more of such gas spring assemblies.
The subject matter of the present disclosure may find particular application and use in conjunction with components for wheeled vehicles, and will be shown and described herein with reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the subject matter of the present disclosure is also amenable to use in other applications and environments, and that the specific uses shown and described herein are merely exemplary. For example, the subject matter of the present disclosure could be used in connection with gas spring assemblies of non-wheeled vehicles, support structures, height adjusting systems and actuators associated with industrial machinery, components thereof and/or other such equipment. Accordingly, the subject matter of the present disclosure is not intended to be in any way limited the applications and/or uses shown and described herein, which are merely exemplary.
Wheeled motor vehicles of most types and kinds include a sprung mass, such as a body or chassis, for example, and an unsprung mass, such as two or more axles or other wheel-engaging members, for example, with a suspension system disposed therebetween. Typically, a suspension system will include a plurality of spring devices as well as a plurality of damping devices that together permit the sprung and unsprung masses of the vehicle to move in a somewhat controlled manner relative to one another. Movement of the sprung and unsprung masses toward one another is normally referred to in the art as jounce motion while movement of the sprung and unsprung masses away from one another is commonly referred to in the art as rebound motion.
Vehicle suspension systems of a wide variety of types and kinds have been developed and are commonly used. Components of such vehicle suspension systems are often secured between opposing structural members that move relative to one another during travel between jounce and rebound conditions. In many cases, the structural members rotate or are otherwise angularly displaced relative to one another during such travel between jounce and rebound conditions. As such, suspension system components, such as damping devices and spring devices, for example, are mounted or otherwise secured between the structural members, or otherwise configured, such that the rotational or otherwise angular displacement can be accommodated. For example, damping members are commonly pivotally mounted between the structural members so that side loading of the damping members can be avoided. As another example, spring devices are commonly secured between the structural members such that the natural flexibility of the spring devices can accommodate the non-linear displacement.
In some cases, however, a damping device may be disposed within the spring chamber of a gas spring device and can often be substantially-rigidly affixed to the end members of the gas spring device. In such cases, the substantially linear travel that is typically associated with damping devices can inhibit the inherent flexibility of the gas spring device as the suspension system is displaced through an arcuate motion associated with movement between jounce and rebound conditions. Additionally, the inherent flexibility of gas spring devices can permit bending and/or side loads induced by such movements to be communicated to the damping device thereof. Such conditions can undesirably influence performance of the damping device, the gas spring device and, in many cases, the performance of the damping device and gas spring combination.
Notwithstanding the common use and overall success of known gas spring and damper constructions, it is believed that a need exists to meet the aforementioned competing goals while still retaining comparable or improved performance, low cost of manufacture, ease of assembly and/or other desired features of gas spring and damper assemblies and/or components thereof, and/or to otherwise advance the art of spring devices.